The dark clouds of war hung equally over everyone, from the soldiers to the magical girls.
“Once the demonic beasts enter the designated range, don’t hold back the shells! Unleash a full barrage! Strive to provide Miss Peony with ample fire support, allowing her to deal with that beast without worry!”
Though Commander Wang was but an ordinary man, he could distinctly sense the difference in that particular demonic beast. While it was considerably smaller than the Twilight Giant Bai Zhiqiu had previously slain, its purple skin and razor-sharp claws unmistakably proclaimed its formidable strength.
It was the Moon-Gazing Wolf King!
This species of demonic beast was incredibly swift. Typically, it could traverse the distance to the city wall’s base in mere seconds, posing an immense threat to Xuan Guan. Should it ascend the battlements, it would undoubtedly inflict catastrophic casualties, necessitating its interception below!
“First Artillery Regiment! Fire!”
At the general’s command, countless shells, their tail flames flickering, rained down upon the distant beast horde. Instantly, they tore a gaping hole in the demonic beasts’ front line, briefly delaying their advance.
Though the power of these magic-infused shells was quite limited, capable of threatening only the most basic low-tier demonic beasts, they effectively alleviated the pressure on the city’s defenses.
It was crucial to remember that the collapse of city defenses often didn’t stem from the sudden assaults of powerful beasts, but rather from the walls of corpses built by these low-tier demonic beasts, enabling stronger monsters to trample over their fallen comrades and slaughter the humans on the city walls.
Bai Zhiqiu stood atop the city wall, hands clasped over her ears, her eyes darting anxiously across the distance.
Moments ago, the Moon-Gazing Wolf King had suddenly, with unbelievable speed, leaped from a distance of at least two kilometers directly in front of Yan Qingzhu. The entire process had taken a mere five seconds, faster than the speed of sound!
All Bai Zhiqiu had seen was a fleeting purple afterimage.
This sight filled Bai Zhiqiu with an inescapable worry for Yan Qingzhu.
‘Could she truly handle it?’
“Bai Zhiqiu! If you ask me, instead of worrying about Yan Qingzhu, you should worry about yourself! She’s one of the strongest among the Brightmoon-tier individuals. While she’s far from my peak, dealing with a little wolf like this is no problem for her!”
Yin lounged on Bai Zhiqiu’s head, gazing lazily into the distance. She had already phased herself, making her undetectable to anyone below Sunwheel-tier.
Of the two Sunwheel-tier powerhouses on Xuan Guan, one was locked in a standoff with a Cloud Whale, while the other was diligently searching for the Spirit Controller. With Yin’s current strength, she wouldn’t draw their attention in the slightest. This was precisely why Yin dared to sprawl so boldly on Bai Zhiqiu’s head.
“By the way, have you figured out how to stall Gu Nian?”
Yin tugged at Bai Zhiqiu’s ear from her perch.
“We’ll see when the time comes! We don’t even know where Gu Nian is right now. And can’t you find another spot? Why do you love perching on my head so much!” Bai Zhiqiu retorted to Yin, her eyes still fixed on Yan Qingzhu’s battle with the Moon-Gazing Wolf King.
“If you can’t find her, I do have a suggestion!”
“What suggestion?”
“I want some shrimp dumplings!”
Upon hearing Yin’s words, Bai Zhiqiu’s face darkened.
“Hurry up and tell me! This is an emergency! You can eat all you want later!”
“No, no! I want them now! When I flew over just now, I heard the cafeteria was still open. They must still have some! Let’s go to the cafeteria to talk!”
Yin’s persistence left Bai Zhiqiu in a predicament.
From Yin’s tone, Bai Zhiqiu understood perfectly: unless she produced a plate of shrimp dumplings, Yin wouldn’t utter another word.
“Fine! Let’s go then!”
Ultimately, Bai Zhiqiu had no choice but to reluctantly agree.
“Yay! Let’s go quickly! Use Blood Wings! It’s faster!”
Under Yin’s urging, Bai Zhiqiu unfurled her Blood Wings, while Yin burrowed into Bai Zhiqiu’s ‘ahoge’, anticipating a delicious plate of shrimp dumplings.
Before departing, Bai Zhiqiu glanced at Yan Qingzhu, who was still battling the Moon-Gazing Wolf King, and decided to offer her a small assist.
Swiftly, a blooming Higanbana coalesced in Bai Zhiqiu’s hand. With a toss towards Yan Qingzhu’s position, Bai Zhiqiu vanished from the spot, soaring towards the cafeteria.
Along the way, a smile played on Bai Zhiqiu’s lips. She could already envision the Moon-Gazing Wolf King’s miserable fate!
****
Below the city walls, Yan Qingzhu gracefully evaded the Moon-Gazing Wolf King’s assault once more, her Tang Heng Dao leaving several new gashes on its body.
The wolf king now stood panting, desperate to flee. However, Yan Qingzhu’s flames had sealed off the area, leaving it no escape. Its only hope lay in fighting Yan Qingzhu with all its might.
Yet this woman was far more terrifying than it had imagined. She had skillfully dodged its numerous attacks, and even its boasted speed was useless within her fiery domain.
“How about it, little doggy? Still want to continue?” Flames flickered in Yan Qingzhu’s eyes as her Tang Heng Dao ignited with a blazing inferno once more. Any wound touched by these flames refused to heal.
Just as the Moon-Gazing Wolf King plunged into despair, a sudden turn of events occurred. It had intended to self-detonate, taking Yan Qingzhu with it, or at least causing her significant trouble. It believed that once the city fell, everyone inside would join it in death.
But now, it seemed it wouldn’t have to die.
A Higanbana, swirling with chaotic magic, wobbled its way through the air. As it passed Yan Qingzhu, it playfully spun a circle around her.
Yan Qingzhu had sensed the chaotic magic moments ago. She had initially intended to dispel it, plunging the Moon-Gazing Wolf King into true despair, allowing it to perish slowly. However, upon seeing the magic take the form of a Higanbana, she instantly understood everything.
‘It’s my little rascal’s doing! That makes sense! Aside from her and Senior Qian Moyu, no one else in Xuan Guan could wield chaotic magic.’
The flower hovered near the Moon-Gazing Wolf King. To the wolf king, this was undoubtedly a miraculous healing elixir! It even contained a hint of Yin’s aura, making it believe a powerful bloodkin was aiding it.
“Human! It seems fate has not forsaken me! Your death is imminent!”
The Moon-Gazing Wolf King suddenly spoke in human tongue, flashing a sinister grin at Yan Qingzhu.
It then swallowed the flower in one gulp. Instantly, it felt its body surge with power. Its wounds healed completely, and even the all-consuming flames were extinguished.
Witnessing her flames being put out, Yan Qingzhu’s face broke into a surprised smile.
“It seems the little rascal’s chaotic magic is far more potent than I imagined! It can even extinguish my fire!”
“Die, human!” The Moon-Gazing Wolf King’s horn gathered all its strength, condensing into a beam of dark red and deep blue light. This single strike would pierce through the woman’s body entirely!
Seeing the Moon-Gazing Wolf King’s confident demeanor, Yan Qingzhu lowered her blade.
“Has the human despaired? Die in despair!”
With that, the Moon-Gazing Wolf King unleashed its full-powered attack! In its eyes, Yan Qingzhu laying down her weapon meant she had resigned herself to death. Yet, why did the human’s smile fill it with such unease?
“Oh, right! Let me tell you something. I know a certain little witch! And her codename is Higanbana—the very flower you just ate. And she can use Blood Wings too~ The timing should be just about right!”
Upon hearing Yan Qingzhu’s words, the Moon-Gazing Wolf King’s pupils constricted abruptly. Its most powerful attack, instead of hitting Yan Qingzhu, made a complete 180-degree turn and hurtled directly towards itself!
“No!”
In its desperate wail, it was obliterated into a mist of blood by its own strongest attack.
“To dare eat something from that scheming little rascal! What nerve!”
With that, Yan Qingzhu picked up the crystal core from the ground. ‘This would make a nice birthday gift for the little one…’